FR3028255A1 - ELECTROMECHANICAL LIFTING DEVICE RELEASABLE FROM A LIFTER FOR PERSONS WITH REDUCED MOBILITY - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a lifting device, electromechanical in nature and with an emergency release mode, allowing the vertical translation of an elevating elevator type elevator, intended for the transport of people. According to the invention, the electromechanical lifting device L is defined by the combination of an electric motor 3b with electric brake and manual emergency control; associated with a gear 3a of wheel and screw type duly dimensioned to ensure reversibility under particular conditions; associated with a sprocket-chain system, one end of the chains 5 and 5 'is fixed to the frame of the cabin 1, then tensioned by the drive of their pinion 4 and 4' respectively, and whose soft strand left free of said chains move by gravity to the rear of the lifting mast 2; associated with a safety device 6 depending on the attachment of the chains 5 and 5 'on the cabin 1 and interacting with the chains so as to immediately stop the cabin 1 in case of breakage or relaxation of the traction of said chains.

Description

The present invention relates to a lifting device for vertical translations of an elevating elevator type elevator, intended for the transport of people.

Today, most conventional elevators or lifts use known devices for lifting cabins or platforms. For the lifts, a winch will be used which rotates a large-diameter adhesion pulley composed of a plurality of grooves in which suspension cables are connected, on the one hand, to the cabin, and on the other hand, counterweights. The throats are cut in the mass, following a special profile. The cables are embedded in pressure so that when the pulley rotates, the movement of the assembly (cabin, counterweight) is effected. This device requires a large space for the machinery in the upper part of the elevator shaft, a very careful management concerning the adjustment of the length of the suspension cables, and we know a rigorous and expensive maintenance especially for the regular replacement of the cables which fit on the traction block.

For elevators, the modes chosen are simpler. Generally, the elevator consists of a fixed supporting structure (the mast) and a platform or cabin that is moving. In one case, direct electric propulsion is used, using a rotary motor and a fixed worm for driving the cab. This worm-nut type of displacement mode allows precise stops, and stable over time and the use of backup batteries to continue the race in case of power failure but not in case of electrical damage of the post control. However, it is penalized by poor mechanical performance, tedious implementation and a limited speed of movement. On the other hand, the most reliable and probably the most widespread device is the use of hydraulic energy where a small plant draws oil from a tank, and injects it under pressure into a cylinder, causing deployment. its stem, directly connected to the cabin. Management of the descent takes place by piloting a small solenoid valve associated with a flow regulator. The engine is therefore used only in the climb, the descent is performed only by opening the solenoid valve allowing the oil maintained under pressure by the weight exerted by the cab on the cylinder, to return to the tank. Advantageously the system is reliable, robust, and proven in the construction industry for decades; it is very compact because the cylinder can easily be inserted between the cabin and the core of the lift mast, it also allows, by coming mechanically to drive the slide of the solenoid valve, to provide a backup device to ensure in all the cases to the user the possibility of being able to go back down. However, disadvantages remain important: * Impossibility to guarantee a speed of descent equal to the speed of rise. There are indeed chronic difficulties in managing the descent, because it depends on the load of the cabin, and also the characteristics of the hydraulic fluid whose viscosity varies rapidly with changes in temperature. * Difficulties to ensure a good stability of the stop at level of the platform in the time, the internal waterproofness of the hydraulic valves being impossible to obtain, one observes a phenomenon of drift, the apparatus will always tend to descend s it remains parked in the high position. * With the generalization of the frequency variation on the electric motors, if it becomes possible to create progressiveness without difficulty during the climb, it becomes more complex for the descent which keeps an "all or nothing" operation. * When the cabin is subject to significant strokes (more than 2 floors), the device is then greatly limited by the size of the cylinder which becomes much larger and difficult to install. Likewise, the oil column then has such a height that its compression becomes perceptible, generating an elastic effect when the jack reaches its maximum stroke. Finally, in each case presented, it should be noted that special attention is paid to ensure as far as possible an autonomous solution to the user to overcome the lack of energy, see the 15 electrical damage. Three cases are generally proposed: The telephone in connection with a SAV to ask for help, this indirect solution can not provide fast and autonomous resolution. The presence of batteries to temporarily mitigate a mains power failure, this solution is valid as long as the batteries are in a state of service, and does not provide recourse in the event of electrical damage on the short type elevator -circuit or disjunction of the control circuit. Finally, in conjunction with certain installations employing a jack hydraulic device, a fully mechanical system can be found which makes it possible to utilize the weight of the cab so that the user can descend. In this case, it is mechanically achieved by a sheathed cable system to translate the solenoid valve slide that controls the descent. This solution has major advantages because it is simple, fully mechanical, therefore durable over time, and it provides a response to both a power failure network, but also to any other electrical damage, since this mode "rescue" is entirely mechanical.

The object of the present invention is to define a new lifting device of electromechanical type disengageable, making it possible to overcome the various drawbacks of known devices, and while proposing a non-hydraulic lifting mode, to maintain a simple and effective backup system.

For this purpose, the disengageable electromechanical lifting device collaborating with a lifting platform or cabin sliding by means of rollers in a fixed lifting mast composed of 2 U-shaped rails, and set in motion by two mechanical chains, fixed at one of their end to the said cabin via an anti-fall safety device and each put in tension by their driving in the upper part in contact with sprockets arranged on either side in direct output of a gear set at the top of the said lifting mast, and controlled by a brake motor assembly, is remarkable, according to the invention, in that the said electromechanical lifting device disengageable is defined by the combination of an electric motor with electrically controlled brake and control of manual rescue; associated with a gear type wheel and screw, duly dimensioned to ensure reversibility under special conditions; associated with a pinion-chain system whose one end of the chains is fixed to the chassis of the cabin, then put in tension by the drive of their respective pinion, and whose soft strand left free of said chains moves by gravity to the rear of the lifting mast; associated with a safety device dependent on the attachment of the chains on the cabin and interacting with the chains so as to immediately stop the cabin in case of breakage or relaxation of the traction of said chains. The invention therefore proposes to implement the combination of a brake electric motor type member with manual emergency control, directly associated with a reversible wheel and screw gear type having on both sides a bad tree. output on which comes to 5 key on both sides a drive pinion. The member thus described is attached to the top of the lifting mast, centered on the guide rails. The invention proposes to associate the said member to a sort of rack integral with the cab, and set in motion by the drive gear which in its direction of rotation would perform the translation 10 upwards or downwards of the rack and therefore the cabin. Specifically, in our case, said rack will be materialized by a mechanical chain set in motion by a pinion. Indeed, the pinion-chain system according to the invention will be doubled, and has the characteristic of having one end of the chains hooked to the cab via a safety device, the chains being subsequently put under tension by the action of their respective gears driven by said gear, said chains after being wound on the 1/2 turn at the top of said gables, will be left unrolled, falling freely by their own weight, channeled in guides chain along the rear side of the lifting mast. The chain is not equipped with a counterweight, the assembly is therefore very simple, and the load of the cab is therefore fully transmitted to the gearbox via the link chain-pinion. The gearbox is equipped at the output of a traversing shaft which drives, on either side of the gearbox, a pinion associated with a chain. The device therefore involves two chains, which allows to restart the traction efforts on each chain, and provides a safety reserve in case of breakage on one of the chains.

Advantageously, the positioning of the pinions on the drive shaft at the output of the reducer is made so that the teeth of the first pinion are synchronized with the recesses of the second pinion; the chains are thus desynchronized relative to each other to avoid the resonance phenomenon due to the chain pitch, and smooth translations of the cabin. The method described above also makes it possible to provide an interesting response for the realization of a mechanical action emergency control. Indeed, in a general case, a geared motor assembly will be defined as irreversible, that is to say that if the rotation of the motor makes it possible to slowly rotate the shaft at the output of the gearbox, the reverse is not possible. It's sort of like trying to turn a nut by pressing the screw. However, it appears that depending on the type of reducer chosen, the concept of reversibility can be achieved by carefully selecting its performance, and if the resistive torque applied at the output of the reducer is sufficiently important. This option was therefore chosen within the scope of the invention, that is to say that the geared motor has been selected so that the resistive torque induced by the weight of the cabin is just sufficient to drive the geared motor. Concretely, we then use a brake gear motor, that is to say that the motor embeds an electromechanical brake that prohibits any movement in the rest phase. This brake must have an auxiliary command to disengage manually. A simple device, neutralized in the rest position by elastic means, is thus made to release the engine brake manually, by defeating the elastic means by the action of a small lever. When the ascent or descent is required, the motor and electromechanical brake control are simultaneously energized, the brake is released releasing the flywheel, allowing movement. As soon as a stop is requested, the power supply of the motor is cut off, as well as that of the electromechanical control of the brake which then resumes its blocking position at rest, and immobilizes the engine. However, in case of necessity during a damage on the electrical network, a simple direct or remote action via a cable sheath for example, on the said small lever, strong enough to overcome the said elastic means, then allows to release the brake motor, and leave the gearbox directly in relation to a load greater than its static efficiency. In this case, the load is defined by the weight of the cab exerted on the link chain-pinion, since the chains do not have counterweight causing their unwound part. The gearbox is then slowly driven backwards, leaving the resistive load, in other words the cab, back down by its own weight in a controlled and regulated manner by the inertia of the gearbox.

As soon as the force applied to said small lever is no longer sufficient, said elastic means neutralize the manual control, allowing the brake to instantly resume its blocking position. Thus, the braking system associated with the electric motor allows, for a current operation, an electromechanical control activated in conjunction with the power supply of the electric motor in order to automatically release the brake when the motor is loaded, and a so-called emergency steering, which in turn mains failure leaving the engine without power and the cabin stuck between two levels, will allow a sustained manual action and sufficient to overcome the elastic elements, to move the abrasive brake pad, to unlock the flywheel and allow the descent controlled speed and contained the said cabin by the joint action of the load of the cabin and the absence of engine brake by implementing the reversibility of the gearbox. Advantageously, the invention thus described is defined by the combination of known and widely distributed devices in the industrial environment, it solves all the general problems mentioned in the introduction, while simplifying the lifting device and its Implementation.

The attached figures make it clear how the invention can be implemented: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an elevator cabin set in motion according to the invention, sliding by means of rollers in a fixed lifting mast composed of 2 U-shaped rails, and set in motion by two mechanical chains, fixed at one end to said cabin, then each tensioned by their drive in the upper part in contact with a pinion arranged on both sides direct output of a gearbox controlled by a brake motor assembly, said gear being attached to the top of said lifting mast.

Figure 2 shows in simplified section the associated elements according to the invention, in the rest position, and to describe the lifting device of the elevator car. Here in the rest position, the engine brake is not biased, the elastic elements maintain the pressure seal on the flywheel, preventing movement of the cabin.

FIG. 3 still represents in section the lifting device this time in emergency disengagement mode, where the associated elements according to the invention make it possible, in the absence of electrical energy, and with a solicitation of the emergency manual control, the setting in motion of the cabin by its own weight. Figures 4 and 5 show the lifting device implementing the associated elements during normalized operation with electrical energy, respectively during the rising phase, and during the descent phase.

From the above, the electromechanical lifting device L disengageable works as follows. Consider, according to FIG. 1, a lift-cabin type installation 1 sliding by means of rollers in a fixed lifting mast 2 composed of two U-shaped rails 2a and 2b. The purpose of the lifting device L is to to move the cabin 1 by two mechanical chains 5 and 5 ', fixed at one end to the said cabin 1 via a fall arrest safety device 6 and each tensioned by their drive in the upper part in contact with gears 4 and 4 'arranged on either side in direct output of a gearbox 3a. A brake motor assembly 3, is coupled to said gear 3a and allows to control its rotation in a clockwise or anti-clockwise which has the effect of raising or lowering the cabin I. The brake motor assembly 3 and gearbox 3a is by example set at the top 30 of said lifting mast 2. After having been put in traction by their respective pinions 4 and 4 ', the unwound part of the mechanical chains 5 and 5' is driven by gravity and channeled in the guides chain 7 and 7 'along the rear face of the lifting mast 2. 5 gear 3a is wheel and screw type, and whose ratio is carefully defined so that its reversibility is just possible and sufficient by the action of the cabin load 1. The brake block of said brake motor 3 is composed of an abrasive lining 3d, so that it oscillates between a rest position or is maintained by the action of elastic means 3f in press ion against the flywheel 3c, to prohibit any movement; and a working position or said abrasive lining 3d compresses the elastic elements, either by the action of the small lever 3e, or by an electromagnetic control linked to the power supply of the motor 3b, thus freeing the flywheel 3c. The anti-fall safety device 6 is directly controlled by the tension of the chains 4 and 4 ', it describes a system allowing a stopping of any translation of the cabin by a mechanical locking in the guide rails 2a and 2b, as soon as a of the two chains is either relaxed or broken. Devices of this type equip elevators, they are known but complex systems. Fall arrest safety device 7 is not shown in detail since it is the subject of another patent application.

To obtain the upward translation of the cabin 1, the lifting device L causes different elements to interact, as described in FIG. 4. A power supply is transmitted together with the electric motor 3b, and with the electromagnetic brake control, allowing to move the brake pad 3d and release the flywheel 3c.

The motor 3b being free, it can transmit its torque and its mechanical energy to the gear 3a which then rotates clockwise. Arranged on either side at the direct output of the gearbox 3a the pinions 4 and 4 'respectively drive their chain 5 and 5' in the manner of a hoist.

The chains then drive the cabin 1 upwards, and the unrolled part of the chains 5 and 5 'at the output of the gears 4 and 4' is freely channeled in the chain guides 7 and 7 'along the rear face of the lifting mast. 2.

To obtain the downward translation of the cabin 1, as described in FIG. 5, the lifting device L causes the elements above to interact in an identical manner, but by reversing the direction of rotation of the electric motor 3b.

As shown in Figure 2, in the absence of power, the lifting device L is kept at rest, and the cabin 1 is perfectly maintained at a standstill. Indeed, lack of electrical excitation, the electromechanical control of the brake is inactive, the elastic elements 3f maintain the brake pad 3d pressure on the flywheel 3c, prohibiting any movement to the latter. The motor 3b and the reducer 3a which is directly connected to it are immobile. From the above, it is easy to understand what happens when the cabin is in translation between two levels, and that a breakdown or damage occurs on the electrical network. The cabin remains static. Figure 2 also highlights the case of a breakdown or damage on the power grid. The cab 1 is suspended by a chain-pinion link to a gearbox 3a of wheel and screw type, the ratio of which is judiciously defined so that its reversibility is just possible and sufficient by the action of the load of the cabin 1, associated a brake motor 3 whose braking device is dual electric and manual control. It can be seen here that in the absence of electrical energy, the abrasive lining 3d is held by the action of resilient means 3f in pressure against the flywheel 3c, in order to prohibit any movement. The brake motor 3 is blocked, preventing any movement to the gearbox 3a to which it is mechanically connected. Cabin 1 is therefore static.

According to the invention, the electromechanical lifting device L disengageable allows a user to remotely trigger an emergency descent to lower the cabin to the lower level, and release any passengers.

This function is illustrated in FIG. 3, where the lifting device L describes a position of reversibility. The brake motor 3 is equipped with a 3rd lever for manually unlocking the brake. This lever can therefore be actuated by directly pulling at its end, or as for the control of bicycle brakes, by means of a remote control of the steel cable type Teflon coated corrugated flexible cable. The application of sufficient tension on the lever 3 allows it to tilt, to move the abrasive seal 3d by compressing the elastic elements 3f, thus freeing the flywheel 3c.

We have described the gearbox 3a as being at least wheel and screw type in order to have a high resistance to reversibility, but whose ratio is carefully defined so that the reversibility of said gear 3a is just possible and sufficient by the action of the load of the cabin I.

With the brake raised, the brake motor 3 is completely free, no longer opposing the gear reducer 3a to which it is mechanically connected. The gearbox 3a is then directly related to the load of the cabin 1. The said load being just sufficient to overcome the static efficiency of the gearbox 3a, it begins to turn in reversible mode and the cabin 1 can descend at controlled speed and contained by the strong opposition of the reducer 3a in reversible mode. As soon as the tension on the lever 3e is no longer sufficient, the elastic elements 3f can relax and again press the abrasive seal 3d against the flywheel 3c. The brake motor 3 is immobilized, as is the gearbox 3a to which it is mechanically linked, the descent of the car 1 is then stopped. From the foregoing, it appears that the electromechanical lifting device disengageable L guaranteed: - Maximum safety allowing the transport of people since the lifting chains are doubled, which allows to restart the traction efforts on each chain, and provides a security reserve in case of breakage on one of the chains; that they are in connection with a safety device 6, the subject of another patent application, to ensure a mechanical locking of the cabin in the guide rails in case of voltage failure or breakage on one of the chains; that a backup control system can be mechanically solicited and remotely in case of damage or failure on the power grid to allow the cabin 1 to go down, by its own weight and speed controlled and contained by the strong opposition of the reducer 3a in reversible mode, at the lower level in order to free any passengers. A stable and parameterizable speed for the ascent and descent independently of the weight of the cabin 1 since all the movements in normal operation are carried out by the action of the electric brake motor, also to freely manage start, acceleration and deceleration, in the up or down directions, by simply driving the motor with a frequency converter. -The perfect stability of the cabin's positioning over time, guaranteeing an excellent leveling of the bearings, thanks to the built-in motor brake. This also makes it possible to overcome the drift problems associated with all the hydraulic systems when they are subjected to a permanent load. -The perfect preservation of the chain of lift over time, it is never scratched or pinched, as elevator cables that fit on a traction block, but left freely channeled to the rear of the lifting mast. -Finally, the electromechanical lifting device L disengageable frees freely from the height to go for the cabin. Indeed only the length of the chain changes according to the race to be performed, and the chain is devoid of counterweight. All other elements remain invariable, which greatly simplifies assembly on site.25

Claims (4)

REVENDICATIONS1. Electromechanical lifting device disengageable L collaborating with a platform or elevator 1, sliding by means of rollers in a fixed lifting mast 2 composed of 2 rails 2a and 2b U-shaped, and set in motion by two chains 5 and 5 'mechanical, fixed at one of their end to the said cabin 1 via a fall arrest safety device 6 and each tensioned by their drive in the upper part in contact with pinions 4 and 4' arranged on both sides other direct output of a gearbox 3a fixed to the top of said lifting mast 2, and controlled by a brake motor assembly 3, characterized in that said electromechanical lifting device L is disengageable by the association of an engine electric 3b with electric brake and manual emergency control; associated with a gearbox 3a wheel and screw properly dimensioned so that the reversibility of said gear 3a is just possible and sufficient by the action of the load of the cabin 1; associated with a sprocket-chain system, one end of the chains 5 and 5 'is fixed to the frame of the cabin 1, then tensioned by the drive of their pinion 4 and 4' respectively, and whose soft strand left free of said chains move by gravity to the rear of the lifting mast 2; associated with a safety device 6 depending on the attachment of the chains 5 and 5 'on the cabin 1 and interacting with the chains so as to immediately stop the cabin 1 in case of breakage or relaxation of the traction of said chains. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said pinion-chain system has the characteristic of having one end of the chains 5 and 5 'hooked to the car 1 via the safety device 6, the chains being subsequently put into position. tension by the action of their respective pinion 4 and 4 'driven by the reducer 3a, said chains after being wound on the 1/2 turn at the top of said sprockets, will be left unrolled, falling freely by their own weight , channeled in the chain guides 7 and 7 'along the rear face of the lifting mast 2. 3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the lifting of the car is ensured by two identical chains 5 and 5 'each associated with a pinion, and the positioning of the pinions 4 and 4' on the drive shaft. output of gearbox 3a is made so that the teeth of the first pinion 4 are synchronized with the recesses of the second pinion 4 '; the chains are thus desynchronized relative to each other to avoid the resonance phenomenon due to the chain pitch, and smooth translations of the cabin. 4. A method of using the device according to claim 1 defined in that it allows for a backup control that can be activated in case of power failure, by implementing a manual action acting directly on the command of the motor brake 3b, in order to release the flywheel 3c and thereby trigger the descent at controlled speed and contained said cabin 1 by implementing the reversibility of the gearbox 3a by the joint action of the load of the cabin 1 and temporary override of the engine brake.